Wire supply apparatus



2 Sheets-s 1 li fna f Nov. 21, 1967 E. u. LANG WIRE SUPPLY APPARATUS Filed NOV. 26, 1965 Nov. 21, 1967 v E. u. LANG 3,353,730

WIRE SUPPLY APPARATUS .Filed Nov. 26, 1965 2 SheetsSheet 2' 94 i7 I 97 v a L ll: g t

Ira/e722?) 72 Frnes (flay,

United States Patent 3,353,730 WIRE SUPPLY APPARATUS Ernest U. Lang, Niles, Mich, assignor to National- Standard Company, Niles, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 509,863 6 Claims. (Cl. 226-43) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus embodying an accumulator for accumulating wire in the form of an elongated loop between a supply source and place of intermittent use of the wire in which the accumulator includes means for adjusting the width of the loop to maintain the sides of the loop substantially straight enabling use of the apparatus for accumulating wires of a large range and of different diameters, and embodying control means for controlling motor means for feeding wire from the supply source to the accumulator and motor means at the place of intermittent use of the wire.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying Wire from a supply source to a place at which the wire is to be used intermittently, and in which the wire between the source of supply and place of use is accumulated in a manner so that the Wire is fed at a nearly constant rate from the supply source.

The apparatus of the present invention has particular utility for use in an arrangement in which wire is drawn continuously off a reel to avoid starting and stopping rotation of the reel and the attendant disadvantage due to the mass and inertia problems involved in the latter operations. Importantly, the apparatus of the invention further provides for the feeding of wire to a place of intermittent use of the wire with the wire being under light or low tension so that only nominal force is required to bring the Wire to the place of use.

The invention, by way of exampie, may be employed with a spring coiling machine for fabricating springs from wire. In such a machine wire is drawn intermittently into the machine to form the wire into successive coil springs. Known machines of the character noted operate at a high rate of frequency and it is desirable that the wire fed thereto be under minimum load in tension. In order to provide for long continuous operation of the spring coiling machine, a large supply source of wire, such as a supply coil carried on a rotatable reel is desirable, and to accommodate these requirements the present invention provides accumulating means between the source of wire supply and the spring coiling machine, in which Wire is drawn from the supply coil and accumulated to satisfy the intermittent delivery of wire to the spring coiling machine and under small load in tension. The apparatus of the present invention further comprehends accumulating means embodying first motor means for drawing Wire from a supply source for storing in the accumulating means, and, in which, such first motor means for the accumulating means is controlled by simple control means to either increase or decrease the speed of rotation thereof to enable substantial continuous and uninterrupted operation of the spring coiling machine. To this end, the invention comprehends the provision of preset control means for approximately setting the desired speed of rotation of the first motor means of the accumulator means and with first control means being provided to either increase or decrease the speed of the motor means of the accumulator means to effect accumulation of wire in the accumulator means for the purposes above noted.

The present invention further comprehends. the pro- 3,353,739 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 ice vision of an accumulator for the accumulating means in which the loop width of wire therein may be readily and easily adjusted to provide for wires of a large range of diameters.

A feature of the invention resides in accumulator means embodying switch means for the aforementioned first control means adapted to be operated by the wire in movement thereof through the accumulator. Such switch means are preferably provided to effect starting and stopping of the first motor means of the accumulator means for drawing wire from the supply source, the de-energization of second motor means for the spring coiling machine upon the absence of a sufficient amount of wire in the accumulator for feeding to the spring coiling machine, and for controlling the first motor means of the accumulating means in the drawing of wire off of the supply reel. The invention further comprehends the provision of simple control means embodying manually settable means for the first motor means of the accumulator means at a speed selected to approximate the desired feeding of wire from the supply source to the accumulator, and in which the speed of rotation of such motor means is automatically increased or decreased to provide for with-drawing wire from the supply source for delivery to the spring coiling machine at a nearly uniform rate.

A further preferred feature is to provide an accumulator embodying an inclined supporting surface for Wire to utilize the weight of the wire in actuating the foregoing switch means.

The above and other important objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of an apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of accumulating means constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 on FIGURE 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 on FIGURE 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is a circuit diagram for the apparatus of the invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, there is shown an apparatus embodying the present invention comprising a source of wire supply, indicated at 4, accumulating means indicated generally at 5, and a spring coiling machine indicated generally at 7.

The wire supply source 4 may comprise a convention let-off stand indicated at 8 for rotatably supporting a reel 9 carrying a coil of Wire. Wire indicated at w from the coil is trained over a first sheave 10 supported by a fixed standard 11, then around a sheave 12 carried by pivotally mounted festoon arm 13, and then to a driven wheel 14 of the accumulating means 5 of the invention. First motor means, for example, electric motor 16 provides for driving the sheave 14. The sheave 14 preferably has a peripheral groove for receiving the wire w. An idler 17 spring loaded by spring means 18 engages wire w in the groove of driven wheel 14 to provide for better traction in drawing the wire from the supply source,. Wire w from the driven wheel 14 passes into the open upper end of accumulator 6 of the accumulating means 5 and from the accumulator 6 to the spring coiling machine 7.

The spring coiling machine 7 is of known construction and is adapted to be motor driven by second motor means to draw wire intermittently from the accumulator 6 into the machine with such wire being fabricated for example into successive coil springs. While there is shown a spring coil forming machine it will be understood that the present invention has utility for use with any fabricating or working operation requiring intermittent feeding of material. Also, it will be understood that the strand w need not be of metal but may be of any filamentary material which it is desired to fabricate or work. The expression wire is thus used in the sense to apply to any filamentary material for fabricating or processing in the manner noted.

As best seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the accumulator 6 comprises spaced apart inner and outer panel means 20 and 22 forming a wire receiving chamber 23 therebetween. The inner panel means comprises upper, intermediate and lower panel members 24, 25 and 2.6, respectively, and the outer panel comprises upper, intermediate and lower panel members 27, 28 and 2-9, respectively. The lower edge of upper panel member 24 and the upper edge of the intermediate panel member 25 form a first horizontally extending upper slot 30, and the lower edge of the intermediate panel 25 and upper edge of lower panel member 26 is spaced apart to form a second horizontally extending lower slot 32 for panel means 20. Similarly, the lower edge of the upper panel member 27 together with the upper edge of the intermediate panel 28 form a first horizontally extending upper slot 34, and the lower edge of the intermediate panel 28 and the upper edge of the lower panel member 29 forms a second horizontally extending lower slot 36. The slots 30 and 32 in the inner panel means 20 align, respectively with slots 34 and 36 of the outer panel means 22.

The inner and outer panel means 20 and 22 are suitably secured at their outer side edges to end frame members 38 and 39 disposed therebetween for holding the panel members in assembled relation as aforenoted. In the aforementioned arrangement of the panel means 20 and 22 an opening is defined at the upper end thereof into which the wire w is adapted to be fed from the driven wheel 14 as will be further described.

In a preferred form of the invention, the outer panel members are preferably formed of a clear rigid plastic material so that the operator may visibly check the functioning of the accumulator, and the inner panel members may be formed of sheet metal and which, together with the end members 38 and 39 form a rigid unit for receiving wire from the wire supply.

Partition means indicated generally at 40 is disposed to lie in the chamber formed between the inner and outer panel means 20 and 22 with the partition means being movable horizontally within the chamber of the accumulator to provide, for example, in the right hand position thereof as shown in FIGURE 2 for a narrow slot for receiving relatively small wire in the order of .010 to .020 inch in diameter in the form of a narrow loop from the driven wheel 14. With the partition means 40 in the left hand most position as indicated by the dot dash lines, it will be seen that the accumulator provides for the reception of a wider loop of wire of substantially greater diameter in the order of five to ten times that first described.

The advantage afforded by the adjustable partition means 40 lies in providing for accumulating wire of different diameters in the accumulator in loops having straight sides enabling proper feeding of the wire to the wire forming device 7 and with minimum frictional retardation of the wire while passing through the accumulator. Without the provision of an adjustable partition means 40 the accumulator would be suitable for use with only a limited range of wire diameters. In such instance wires of greater diameter would have excessive frictional engagement in passing through the accumulator, and

wires of smaller diameter than such limited range would not follow the side of end member 39 which is necessary for proper functioning of the unit as will be hereinafter further described.

The partition 40 is adjustably and movably mounted in the accumulator as best shown in FIGURE 3 by upper and lower locking means as indicated at 42. The upper locking means 42 comprises a headed bolt member 43 formed with a square shank portion 44 which is adapted to have sliding engagement in the slot 30 of the inner panel means 22. A shank portion 44 projects through the partition member 40 and is threaded at its outer end and with which knob 45 has threaded engagement. Inwardly of knob 45 a guide member 46 having a square shank portion 47 is provided for guiding engagement in the upper slot 34- of the outer panel means 2t). A second locking means 42 as last described is also associated with the partition 40 at the lower end portion thereof for sliding engagement with the lower slots 32 and 36, respectively of the inner and outer panel means 20 and 22. Thus, upon loosening of the knobs 45, the partition 40 may be moved in selected positions in the chamber formed between the inner and outer panel means to provide for the accumulation of a loop of wire of desired width in the accumulator.

The accumulator means 5 as above described is supported in any suitable manner upon a frame structure 50 for supporting the accumulator 6 between the source of wire supply 4 and the spring coiling machine 7. The accumulator 6 is supported with the end wall 39 thereof inclined angularly downwardly from the upper to the lower ends thereof away from the supply source toward the spring coiling machine to provide for support of wire w thereon and within the accumulator for reasons to follow. The frame 50 provides for the support at the upper end thereof of the aforementioned driven wheel 14 and drive motor assembly 16 for driving the driven wheel 14.

The partition 40 at its upper end carries a tubular wire guide 52 of arcuate configuration to provide for guiding of the wire outwardly from the accumulator and toward the spring coiling machine 7.

The accumulator 6 also is provided with a plurality of switch means which may, for example, include switch actuators as indicated at 55, 56, 57 and 58 which are disposed in the path of movement of the wire w as it passes through the accumulator from the driven wheel 14 to the spring coiling machine 7. The switch actuator means 55 comprises an arm member 59 pivotally mounted at its outer end on frame 50 and includes an end arm portion at its inner end movable in an arcuate slot formed at the upper end portions of panel members 24 and 25, respectively. When Wire w is contained within the accumulator the wire w lies between arm portion 59 and the adjacent surface of the inclined end wall 39. In the event wire w in the accumulator is being withdrawn in an amount in excess of wire feed input thereto and to an extent to reduce the length of the wire loop so that the closed end of the loop engages arm portion 59 the arm member is pivoted in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2 to effect opening of its associated switch means below described to open a circuit to the motor of the spring coiling machine to thus de-encrgize the latter. The several switch actuators 56, 57 and 58 are preferably low pressure operable devices adapted to be actuated by the presence or absence of contact of the wire w therewith.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, there is illustrated a circuit control diagram embodied in the apparatus above described providing for control of the apparatus. In the circuit of FIGURE 5, there is shown a three phase source of electrical potential at 60 from which two leads 62 and 63 extend to provide a source of potential for control circuit means below described. A first circuit of such circuit means includes a conventional starting switch 64, a stop switch 65, normally closed switch means 66, and a starter relay 67 between the lines 62 lines 62 and 63 comprises switch'means 68 and 69 normally biased to open positions adapted to be closed by their associated switch actuators 57 and 56, respectively, and a relay 70 having first relay contacts at 71. A third circuit 72 between lines 62 and 63 includes an on-otf switch 73, switch means 74 normally biased to closed position and adapted to be opened by its switch actuator means 58, fuse 75 and a variable transformer indicated at 76. A lead 79 between fuse 75 and transformer 76 extends to a conventional bridge rectifying unit 80 from which lead 81 extends to line 63. The unit 80 provides for rectifying the alternating current input into direct current for the field for motor 16 of the accumulator means 6. Lead 83 extends from presetting means 84 of transformer 76 to a second bridge rectifying unit 86 from which a line 87 extends to lead 63 to provide through leads 88 and 89 a direct current potential source for the motor armature of the accumulator motor 16. Resistance means 92 is incorporated in the circuit for the armature of motor 16. The aforementioned relay 70 further includes a second pair of relay contacts 93 which upon closing cuts out resistance 92 to increase the speed of rotation of the motor 16.

Assuming that the apparatus as shown in FIGURE 1 has the wire w extending through the accumulator in engagement with switch actuators 56, 57 and 58, depression of start button 64 establishes a circuit through stop switch 65, normally closed switch means 66, and starter relay 67 with the starter relay 67 upon being energized effecting connection of its contacts 94, 95 and 96 with the potential source 60 to energize the drive motor 97 of the spring coiling machine 7. Upon release of starting button 64, the holding contacts 77 retain the circuit to the spring coiling machine motor 97. With the spring coiling machine having its motor energized the wire w is drawn off of the switch actuator 58 permitting the switch 74 to close to energize the motor 16 of the accumulator means 5 with manual switch 73 in the on position. The motor means 16 thus begins to draw the wire w from the source of wire supply 4 for delivery to the accumulator 6 of the accumulator means 5. The preset means 84 initially is manually set to a desired average running speed of the motor 16 for the accumulator means 5. Thus, in the initial operation when the wire comes off the switch actuator means 58 the driven wheel 14 begins to pull wire from the wire supply at a speed slightly less than the set speed in view of passage of the current through the resistance 92 of the bridge rectifier 86. Should the drawing of wire w intermittently by the spring coiling device 7 contract the wire loop in the accumulator to an extent that the wire no longer engage-s switch actuators 56 and 57, switches 68 and 69 will open to eifect deenergization of relay 70. Upon deenergization of relay 70 the contacts 93 close cuttting out resistance 92 so that the motor 16 revolved at the originally manually preselected speed.

When wire again fills the accumulator to engage switch actuators 56 and 57, switches 68 and 69 close so that the speed of rotation of the motor 16 of the accumulator lessens to a speed less than the preset speed. In the event the wire in passing through the accumulator forms a loop of maximum predetermined amount switch actuator 58 effects opening of switch means 74 deenergizing the motor 16 so that the driven wheel 14 causes to draw wire from the wire supply. Should the preset speed setting for the motor 16 be too low to provide sufficient wire for the accumulator the switch actuating means 55 effects opening of switch means 66 to deenergize the motor 97 of the spring coiling device. In the event switch means 66 is actuated de-energizing motor 97 a higher speed setting of preset means 84 must be made and the spring forming machine re-started by depressing starter button 64.

I From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention contemplates the provision of first control means for varying the speed of rotation of the first motor means 16 for the slack wire accumulating means 5 comp isi g first m tor c ntrol switch means defi d by switch means 69 and 68 including associated switch actuators 56 and 57, and second motor control means defined by switch means 66 and associated switch actuator 55 for controlling energization of second motor means 97 for the spring coiling machine 7. Further the invention comprehends the provision of starting control switch means defined by switch means 74 and associated switch actuator 58 for effecting energization and deen giza i n f th first m tor means 16 of t ac mulator me n While a Preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and. described, it will be understood that various modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it will be understood that switch means 68 and 69 may b eliminated so that the wire w is drawn intermittently from the supply reel. Such modifications would be suitable only for very low wire speeds where the inertia aspects of starting and stopping the supply reel is not a factor. Also it will be recognized that a single switch means may be substituted for the pair of switch means 68 and 69 in which case there will be a rapid fluctuation in speeds between the preset speed as set by presetting means 84 and the somewhat slower speed when resistance 92 is not shunted by contacts 93.

The invention claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for use between a source of wire supply and an intermittently operable device for successively forming articles of wire, the combination of slack wire accumulating means comprising an accumulator having an open end and defined by spaced apart inner and outer panels for receiving wire from said supply source through said open end in the form of an elongated loop between said inner and outer panels, and means for said accumulator for engaging the sides of said loop to adjust the width thereof to maintain the sides of said loop substantially straight within said accumulator, first motor means for drawing wire from said supply for storing in said accumulating means, first motor control means for varying the speed of rotation of said first motor means, and said first motor control including means for actuating said first motor means operable by wire passing through said accumulating means for varying the speed of said first motor means to provide for drawing of the wire from said supply for feeding to said accumulating means at a rate at which the closed end of said elongated loop is free of engagement with said accumulator in the normal operation of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 characterized by said first motor control means including means for varying the speed of said first motor means to provide for drawing of the wire from said supply for feeding to said accumulating means at a nearly uniform rate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 characterized by the provision of second motor means for said intermittently operable device and second motor control means operable by wire in said accumulating means for deenergizing said second motor means at a predetermined minimum accumulation of wire in said accumulating means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 characterized by the provision of starting control switch means in said accumulating means operableto effect energization of said first motor means upon initial drawing of wire from said accumulating means by said device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including the provision of preset means for energizing said first motor means for a predetermined speed of rotation, and in which said first motor control means comprises switch means having actuator means along with the path of travel of and in position to be engaged by the wire in said accumulating means, said switch means efiecting actuation of said first motor control means to decrease the speed of rotation of said first motor means below said predetermined speed of rotation thereof, :and to provide upon disengaging of said wire from said switch means to elfect actuation of said first motor control means to increase to speed of rotation of said first motor means to said predetermined speed of rotation thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 including the provision of preset means for energizing said first motor means for a predetermined speed of rotation, and in which said first motor control means comprises a pair of switches havingswitch actuators along the path of tnavel of and in positions to be engaged by the wire in said accumulating means, said pair of switches being connected in series relation to provide upon closing of both thereof by engagement by the wire in said accumulating means with said switch actuators to eifect actuation of said first motor control means to decrease the speed of rotation of said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,673,521 6/1928 Maas 22643 3,161,337 12/1964 Schulz 226118 3,177,749 4/1965 Best 22642 X 3,236,429 2/1966 Klein 22642 3,258,213 6/1966 Fronchkowiak 22624 X M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

R. A. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR USE BETWEEN A SOURCE OF WIRE SUPPLY AND AN INTERMITTENTLY OPERABLE DEVICE FOR SUCCESSIVELY FORMING ARTICLES OF WIRE, THE COMBINATION OF SLACK WIRE ACCUMULATING MEANS COMPRISING AN ACCUMULATOR HAVING AN OPEN END AND DEFINED BY SPACED APART INNER AND OUTER PANELS FOR RECEIVING WIRE FROM SAID SUPPLY SOURCE THROUGH SAID OPEN END IN THE FORM OF AN ELONGATED LOOP BETWEEN SAID INNER AND OUTER PANELS, AND MEANS FOR SAID ACCUMULATOR FOR ENGAGING THE SIDES OF SAID LOOP TO ADJUST THE WIDTH THEREOF TO MAINTAIN THE SIDES OF SAID LOOP SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT WITHIN SAID ACCUMULATOR, FIRST MOTOR MEANS FOR DRAWING WIRE FROM SAID SUPPLY FOR STORING IN SAID ACCUMULATING MEANS, FIRST MOTOR CONTROL MEANS FOR VARYING THE SPEED OF ROTATION OF SAID FIRST MOTOR MEANS, AND SAID FIRST MOTOR CONTROL INCLUDING MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID FIRST MOTOR MEANS OPERABLE BY WIRE PASSING THROUGH SAID ACCUMULATING MEANS FOR VARYING THE SPEED OF SAID FIRST MOTOR MEANS TO PROVIDE FOR DRAWING OF THE WIRE FROM SAID SUPPLY FOR FEEDING TO SAID ACCUMULATING MEANS AT A RATE AT WHICH THE CLOSED END OF SAID ELONGATED LOOP IS FREE OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ACCUMULATOR IN THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS. 